The North Wind of Destiny
by davidpants1650
Summary: A young Argonian yearns for the life of an adventure. When he starts off on his quest, will he realize that being an adventurer is not all that's cracked up to be? As the burdens of the world grow, will he wilt under the nordic air or be forced to mature? As he unravels more secrets about himself will he find out that his fate is bounded to the fate of Tamriel itself?


"Wake up..., wake up!"

His eyes cracked open and met his little brother.

"Whaa -yawns- t do you want? Aren't you tired yet of bothering me?" He said with tiresome, bloodshot eyes.

"Did you close up last night like father told you to?" The younger brother said while studying their room.

"Yes, yes! Now go bother mother, or play in the streets. I want to sleep. Please." He said while turning away from his brother and switching to the side of the bed that had the sun shining on it. "Forget it. No sleep for me ...again." The argonian slowly began to unfurl the bedsheets on top of him, and looked at his brother.

"Neeel, what do you want? I was having the most harmonious dream." Looking down at him.

"I apologize Ushelz, I really do. It's just that mother and father have gone to the store early today and I'm sooooo hungry that I can...I can." He said while looking around their room for an idea.

"Let me guess? Jump in the Niben River and catch a slaughterfish?"

"Yes! You know me so well!"

"I've had the displeasure of being you're brother for 10 years." He said while deciding what to do.

"Put some pants on Neeeel! Divines help us! No one needs to see that!"

His little brother laughed and put on a pair of trousers. "I'm dressed."

"Good. Let's go fetch us some breakfast. How does that sound?"

"Yes! It sounds like a terrific idea! Oh let's go! Hurry while the stalls still have the morning batch of sweet rolls!" Neeeel said while running out of the house, that he, his brother, and his parents shared in Leyawiin.

The air was muggy and stiff, making a simple task such as walking into an excercise.

"So much for it being the first of Heartfire." Ushelz said to himself while guiding his brother along the city, in this dreadful humidity.

Walking around Leyawiin, Ushelz wondered, wondered if the city had really changed in his 18 years that he had been living. Each day he would see the Temple of Mara and all of its priests and priestess on his way to tend the the store that his family owned.

"Brother?"

"Yes?"

"Why do you never go inside the temple?""

"I never was fond of the divines and I still have my suspicions. Why are you wondering all of a sudden? You never go either!" He said scoffing at Neeel.

"That's because it pains me to wake up early every Sundas! You know that. Oh! Brother look! The sweetrolls at that stall! Let us hurry!"

Ushelz had unloaded some gold to buy sweetrolls for his brother and him. Sitting in front of their parents shop, Ushelz was looking proudly at his little brother.

"Don't rub the glaze on your clothes! Give me that!" While taking away his brothers half eaten breakfast. "Wash your hands."

His brother walked inside to look for a cloth to wipe his hand, leaving him alone. He was semi enjoying his day so far. Nothing out of place or out of shape but nothing exciting or different. A taste he had been craving quietly. Deciding not to end his moment of pleasure, he stood and walked and picked up a copy of the Black Horse Courier. Reading disinterested through the text, he sighed heavily and entered his parents store.

"Ushelz! There you are. Your father has some work for you to do in the back." His mother grace said.

Ushelz nodded and proceeded to walk past the counter into the backroom where most of the storage was held. His heavy footsteps could be heard outside the store as his feet clamped to the old wooden floor. Pushing past the doors he was met with the sweating face of his father.

"Glad you finally decided to show up and work. We got new merchandise today! Of all days? Can you believe it? I have to speak to Za'ari about setting up a consistent delivery schedule."

"I really do not understand you at times, father. Why not just switch your stocking and delivery service to Telone?"

"How could you say such a thing!? You know how it is around this land and elsewhere. They think we're all just a bunch of deceitful, untrustworthy, thieves and skooma drinkers! Ignorance at it's finest I tell you! That is why we do buisness with the Javatsee, they always stood by us, and family sticks together!"

It was true what Ushelz's father was saying, Argonians, Khajits, Dark Elves, and to a lesser extent Orcs, were all subjugated to prejudice and blatant racism in Cyrodil, even if they lived in the Niben Bay, an area known for it's immigrant populations. Sighing, he stepped out and began to work at the front, greeting and selling to customers, all the random wares they sold.

Buisness was surprisingly slow, but Ushelz did not mind. He had long told his parents to head home, insisting that he would close the shop. It was 8:30 that evening when a knock was heard. Carefully, Ushelz managed to peer outside through one of the cloths thst covered the windows and wooden planks. He breathed in relief when he saw it was one of his only friends, Sin'zah.

"If you came to buy something you're best be going, I'll call the guard!" He said jokingly while opening the door for his Khajit friend. He nodded and entered the store.

"So what brings you here so late?"

"Just coming to see if your parents recieved the new supplies to restock."

"I wouldn't exactly call them 'new' now would I?"

"What the customer doesn't know, doesn't always hurt them, right?

"Tell me exactly, how does your father always manage to get all these random supplies?"

"Well for sure they aren't stolen, like you always claim they are. Honestly, they come from random looters and treasure hunters...and the occasional dead body."

Ushelz gave a look of disgust.

"I was just joking! Hahaha!" Sin'zah said.

"I had a feeling." He replied sighing disinterestedly. He looked around the store, hoping to find a topic to discuss with his friend.

"So any word from your uncle? Last I heard he was in Riften I believe?"

"Well what you see is his word. I'm afraid uncle Shaava doesn't get around to sending many letters. He just sends us whatever items no traveler wants to purchase and we sell it to you."

"Wait...so all of our merchandise is from Skyrim?"

"Most, not all."

Ushelz bega to dig through the crates of merchandise and containers stored assortments of nearly everything, from cheap jewlery to daggers, and the occasional wood axe. His attention was captured by the faint twinkle of one of the items in the crate. Carefully, he reached for it and brought it next to a candle to examine it. It was silver and quite heavy, it looked like a claw of some sort.

"Do you know what this is?" Ushelz asked.

"Can't say I do. I've never seen an ornament crafted with such care. Looks like a Rock Warbler tallon, no? Sin'zah said.

"This is probably can fetch a lot of coin! I have never seen something like this! Oh, how I wish I could be you're uncle." Ushelz said while fading off into a daydream, staring past his friend, looking at the barren street.

"Why is that?" Replying with strangeness.

The temporary bridge he had built that connected him with foreign lands and epic struggles crumbed instantly at the calling of his name. "I'm sorry, can you repeat that?"

Sin'zah did not repeat his question, he knew the type of thoughts that were conquering his head. Smiling, he said, "let's us see if we can get us something to sate my newly discovered appetite?"


End file.
